NLEX traffic volume seen up 10-15%

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines – The Traffic Management Corp. (TMC) is bracing for a 10 to 15 percent buildup in vehicular traffic along the 87-kilometer North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) starting today as Metro Manilans go to their provinces for All Souls’ Day.

TMC officials though are hoping that the newly opened road link from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City will help ease traffic at the Balintawak interchange.

Benigno Valles, TMC senior manager for corporate communications, said the expected 10 to 15 percent traffic buildup is equivalent to 15,000 to 20,000 more vehicles using the NLEX, which has an average daily traffic volume of about 156,000.

To help ease traffic at the Balintawak interchange, Valles said ambulant tellers will be fielded to hand out toll tickets.

With 17 toll booths, the Balintawak interchange can only handle at least 4,500 transactions every hour, he said.

Heavy traffic buildup is also expected starting today at the Tarlac and Tipo exits of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. – With Ding Cervantes